Ball rolling game apparatuses



1958 E. J. COLLINS ETAL 2,847,221

BALL ROLLING GAME APPARATUSES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 film ll I s a J. .N w H 5 1 M RML 04 mp aw 0 W 03 W V. max 5. D, Raw. M a Mm m w 5 Y B Z 1| 6 w m 9 7 5 Filed Dec. 9, 1957 Aug. 12, 1958 E. J. COLLINS ETAL 2,347,221

BALL ROLLING GAME APPARATUSES Filed Dec. 9, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 2,847,221 BALL ROLLING oAMn APPARATUSES Edward J. Collins and James L. Collins, West Los Angeles, Calif., and Clarence Schuyler, Chicago, lll., assignors to Games, Ina, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application December 9, 1957, Serial No. 701,663

12 Claims. (Cl. 273- 95) Our invention relates to new and useful improvements in a ball rolling game apparatus which employs a game piece such as a ball or the like movable over a pivotal track member from which such game piece may be selectively dropped into a score registering opening.

Another object of our invention is in the provision in an apparatus of this character of a means for selectively pivoting out of game piece supporting position, a track member at the will of the player.

Yet another object of our invention is in the provision in an apparatus of this character of a method of operation which results in an achieved score which is directly proportionate to the skill of the player.

Still another object of our invention is the provision of an apparatus of this character and of a method of construction and operation that is simple in manufacture and economical in cost.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings showing the present preferred form of construction, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a game cabinet in which our game apparatus is contained;

Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary front perspective view of the game piece supporting track and score registering openings associated with our apparatus;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the ball delivering means and track pivoting means as associated with our invention; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view similar to Fig. 4 but showing the operating means as connected to the opposite end of the track member.

Our game apparatus includes a cabinet having a vertical front glass panel 11. As it is desired that our game apparatus be coin-controlled, we provide a coin entrance slot 12 mounted in a shelf-like panel 13 of the cabinet 10. A coin return chute 14 is provided in the bottom front wall 15 of the game cabinet 10. To the rear of the front glass panel 11 is a score board 16. This score board 16 is of a lesser size than the glass panel and as such leaves an exposed area therebelow.

Connected to the inner face of each of the side walls of the cabinet 10 immediately below the bottom edge of the score board 16 are metal plates 17 and 18, Figs. 4 and 5. These plates 17 and 18 are mounted to the side walls by suitable means such as screws 19 or the like.

Referring to Fig. 5, there is shown the plate 17 which has mounted thereon between two oppositely disposed L-shaped brackets 20 and 21, an electromagnetic coil 22. This coil 22 has a movable plunger 23 associated therewith. The free end of the plunger 23 is bifurcated as at 24. One corner of a triangular actuator plate is inserted in such bifurcation 24 and pivotally connected nitc States Patent to the free end of the plunger 23 by a cotter pin 26. The apex of the triangular shaped actuator plate 25 is pivotally connected to a stud 27 carried by and extending laterally from the plate 17. The third corner of the triangular shaped actuator plate 25 has fixedly connected thereto one end of a rod 28. This rod 28 together with a glass panel 52 functions as a game piece track and will be hereinafter referred to as a track. Its operation will be hereinafter made apparent.

Referring to Fig. 4, we show a mounting plate 18 mounted on the opposite wall of the cabinet 10. This plate 18 has mounted thereon between two oppositely disposed L-shaped brackets 29 and 3t an electromagnetic coil 31. This coil 31 has a movable plunger 32 associated therewith. The free end of the plunger 32 is bifurcated as at 33. One corner of a second triangular shaped actuator plate 34 is inserted in such bifurcation 33 and pivotally connected thereto by a cotter'pin 35. The apex of this triangular shaped actuator plate 34 like the apex of the actuator plate 25 is pivotally connected to a stud 36 carried by and extending laterally from the plate 18. The opposite free corner of the actuator plate 34 has fixedly connected thereto the opposite end of the track rod 28.

Each of the triangular shaped actuator plates 25 and 34 adjacent the apexes thereof is provided with a laterally extending ear 37 and 33 respectively. The ear 37 of the plate 25 has connected thereto one end of a spring 39. The opposite end of such spring 39 is connected to a stud pin 46 carried by and extending laterally from the plate 17. The car 38 of the actuator plate 34 has connected thereto one end of a spring 41. The opposite end of such spring 4-1 is connected to a stud pin 42 carried by and extending laterally with respect to the plate 18. The springs 39 and 41 normally pivot their respective actuator plates 25 and 34 in a direction about their pivotal connection to their studs 27 and 36 so as to with draw the plungers 23 and 32 from their respective electromagnetic coils 22 and 31.

The plate 18 provides a ball guide consisting of a substantially U-shaped bracket 43. This bracket 43 has one arm 44 thereof welded to support 45 which is in turn welded to the plate to the rear of the electromagnetic coil 31 as viewed in Fig. 4. This arm 44 has its free end 46 bent to provide a curved ball guide as seen in Fig. 4. This ball guide is positioned above and in spaced relation to the track rod when it is in its normal ball supporting position as seen in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4. The other arm 46 is spaced from arm 44 and terminates at a point above the curved and a sufficient distance so as not to interfere with a ball guided thereby. The bight portion 47 of the bracket extends across and above the drop-oh end of a ball chute 48. This ball chute 48 has communication with a ball delivery chute 49 of a ball lift assembly. This ball lift assembly may be of any construction and one which is well known in the trade, and as such makes up no part of this present invention.

Associated with the track rod 28 and carried between the side walls of the cabinet ltl below and behind the glass panel 11 and score board 16 is a wall 5%. This wall 50 is so spaced from the track rod 28 that a ball 51 which has been delivered and guided thereon by the bracket 43 will be supported on the track rod 28 and at the same time rest against a glass panel 52 carried by such wall 50 as seen in Fig. 2. Between the glass panel 11 and the wall 50, I provide a series of ball receiving openings 53. Each of the ball receiving openings 53 is defined in size by a side wall 54. These side walls 54 each provide a tail portion 55 which extends in a downwardly and rearwardly direction beneath and beyond the bottom edge of the wall 50 as seen in Fig. 2. A ball guide wall 56 has operative connection to the tail portion 55 of the side walls 54 so as to direct balls into a ball receiving trough 57. The halls are adapted to gravitate down the bottom wall 58 of the trough 57 through an opening 59 into the delivery chute 49. Ball bumpers 60 are carried by the wall 50. These ball bumpers 60 extend over and in spaced parallel relation to the side walls 54 defining the ball receiving openings 53. Such ball bumpers 60 may be covered with a suitable resilient material so as to permit the ball 51 to bounce therefrom. A like resilient material is placed at each end of the endrnost ball receiving openings in such a manner so as to prevent a ball dropped thereon from remaining in such a position so as not to pass into one of the ball receiving openings 53. Carried by the rear face of the wall 5%? adjacent each ball receiving opening 53 is a switch unit 61. This switch unit 61 has a pivotal actuating arm 62 associated therewith. This switch actuating arm 62 is adapted to extend between the tail portions 55 of the side walls 54 so as to be engaged and pivoted by a ball passing through a ball receiving opening 53. Such pivotal movement of the actuating arm 62 will close the spring leaves or" the switch unit 61 and energize a suitable score registering mechanism.

Each of the electromagnetic coils 22 and 31 have suitable electric connections 63 in circuit with a power source and a push button 64 carried by the shelf-like panel 13 of the game cabinet 10.

In actual operation, when a coin is deposited into the 1 coin slot 12 balls 51 will be successively delivered from the delivery chute 49 on to the ball chute 48, and will gravitate thereon and be guided by the bracket 43 onto the track rod 28. As viewed in Fig. 3, the ball will then gravitate from the right hand side to the left hand side of the cabinet. When the operator believes that he can cause the ball 51 to fall in a selected ball receiving opening 53, he presses a push button 64. This will complete the circuit to the coils 22 and 31. The plungers 23 and 32 thereof will be drawn therein causing the actuator plates 25 and 34 to pivot about their connection against the action of the springs 39 and 41 to pivot the track rod 28 out of ball supporting position. The ball will then drop into the target area consisting of the ball receiving openings 53. not press the push button 64 to energize the coils 22 and 31 to pivot the track rod 28 from ball supporting position, the ball will gravitate across such track rod 28 until it reaches a crimped portion 65. This crimped portion 65 is of a size to permit the ball 51 to fall therethrough. The release of the push button 64 will deenergize the coils 2.2 and 31 and by reason of the springs 39 and 41, the track rod 28 is pivoted to its normal ball supporting position. The player of the game will thus successively receive a plurality of balls delivered onto the track 28 at predetermined intervals.

Each of the plates 17 and 18 is provided with a flange 66 and 66'. Adapted to be mounted on these flanges 66 and 66' are cover plates 67. These cover plates 67 normally hide from view the electromagnetic coils 22 and 31 and the parts associated therewith.

While we have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying our invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. We, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail ourselves of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, what We claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A game apparatus of the character described comprising a cabinet having a transparent front wall panel, a central wall within said cabinet spaced from said panel, a game piece supporting means inclinedly arranged trans- If the operator of the game does versely with respect to and between said central wall and said panel, said game piece supporting means spaced from said central wall a sufiicient distance to cooperate therewith to support a rolling game piece therebetween, game piece score registering openings provided by said cabinet at the base of said central wall and beneath said game piece supporting means, means for successively delivering a rolling game piece onto said game piece supporting means for gravitation theredown, means mounted on said cabinet between said panel and said central wall adjacent the vertical edges of said central wall for pivotally positioning said game piece supporting means in game piece supporting position, means operative upon said pivotally positioning means for yieldably maintaining said game piece supporting means in a game piece supporting position with respect to said central wall, and means operatively connected to said pivotally positioning means and cooperating therewith for pivoting said game piece supporting means away from said central wall out of game piece supporting position so as to cause a rolling game piece supported thereon to drop into a score registering opening.

2. A game apparatus of the character described comprising a cabinet having a transparent front Wall panel, a central wall within said cabinet spaced from said panel. a game piece supporting means inclinedly arranged transversely with respect to and between said central wall and said panel, said game piece supporting means spaced from said central wall a sutficient distance to cooperate therewith to support a rolling game piece therebetween, game piece score registering openings provided by said cabinet at the base of said central wall and beneath said game piece supporting means, means for successively delivering a rolling game piece onto said game piece supporting means for gravitation theredown, means mounted on said cabinet between said panel and said central wall adjacent the vertical edges of said central wall for pivotally positioning said game piece supporting means in game piece supporting position, means operative upon said pivotally positioning means for yieldably maintaining said game piece supporting means in a game piece supporting position with respect to said central wall, and means operatively connected to said pivotally positioning means and cooperating therewith for pivoting said game piece supporting means away from said central wall out of game piece supporting position so as to cause a rolling game piece supported thereon to drop into a score registering opening, and means under the control of the operator of the game for causing said last named means to pivot said positioning means and said game piece supporting means out of game piece supporting position.

3. A game apparatus of the character described comprising a cabinet having a transparent front Wall panel, a central wall within said cabinet spaced from said panel, a track means inclinedly arranged transversely with respect to and between said central wall and said panel, said track means spaced from said central wall a sufiicient distance to cooperate therewith to support a rolling game piece therebetween, game piece score registering openings provided by said cabinet at the base of said central wall and beneath said track means, means for successively delivering a rolling game piece onto said track means for gravitation theredown, means mounted on said cabinet between said panel and said central wall adjacent the vertical edges of said central wall for pivotally positioning said track means in game piece supporting position, means operative upon said pivotally positioning means for yieldably maintaining said track means in a game piece supporting position with respect to said central wall, and means operatively connected to said positioning means and cooperating therewith for pivoting said track means away from said central wall out of game piece supporting position so as to cause a rolling game piece supported thereon to drop into a score registering opening.

4. A game apparatus of the character described comprising a cabinet having a transparent front wall panel, a central wall within said cabinet spaced from said panel, a track means inclinedly arranged transversely with respect to and between said central wall and said panel, said track means spaced from said central wall a sufficient distance to cooperate therewith to support a rolling game piece therebetween, game piece score registering openings provided by said cabinet at the base of said central Wall and beneath said track means, means for successively delivering a rolling game piece onto said track means for gravitation theredown, means mounted on said cabinet between said panel and said central wall adjacent the vertical edges of said central wall for pivotally positioning said track means in game piece supporting position, means operative upon said pivotally positioning means for yieldably maintaining said track means in a game piece supporting position with respect to said central wall, and means operatively connected to said positioning means and cooperating therewith for pivoting said track means away from said central wall out of game piece supporting position so as to cause a rolling game piece supported thereon to drop into a score registering opening, and means under the control of the operator of the game for causing said last named means to pivot said positioning means and said track means out of game piece supporting position.

5. A game apparatus of the character described comprising a cabinet having a transparent front wall panel, a central wall within said cabinet spaced from said panel, a game piece supporting means inclinedly arranged transversely with respect to and between said central wall and said panel, said game piece supporting means spaced from said central Wall a'sufiicient distance to cooperate therewith to support a rolling game piece therebetween, game piece score registering openings provided by said cabinet at the base of said central wall and beneath said game piece supporting means, means for successively delivering a rolling game piece onto said game piece supporting means for gravitation theredown, actuator plates mounted on said cabinet between said panel and said central wall adjacent the vertical edges of said central wall for pivotally positioning said game piece supporting means in game piece supporting position, means operative upon said actuator plates for yieldably maintaining said game piece supporting means in a game piece supporting position with respect to said central wall, and means operatively connected to said actuator plates and cooperating therewith for pivoting said game piece supporting means away from said central wall out of game piece supporting position so as to cause a rolling game piece supported thereon to drop into a score registering opening, and means under the control of the operator of the game for causing said last named means to pivot said actuator plates and said game piece supporting means out of game piece supporting position.

6. A game apparatus of the character described comprising a cabinet having a transparent front wall panel, a central wall within said cabinet spaced from said panel, a track means inclinedly arranged transversely with respect to and between said' central wall and said panel, said track means spaced from said central wall a sulficient distance to cooperate therewith to support a rolling game piece therebetween, game piece score registering openings provided by said cabinet at the base of said central wall and beneath said track means, means for successively delivering a rolling game piece onto said track means for gravitation theredown, actuator plates mounted on said cabinet between said panel and said central wall adjacent the vertical edges of said central wall for pivotally positioning said track means in game piece supporting position, means operative upon said actuator plates for yieldably maintaining said track means in a game piece supporting position with respect to said central wall, and means operatively connected to said actuator plates and cooperating therewith for pivoting said track means away from said central wall out of game piece supporting position so as to cause a rolling game piece supported thereon to drop into a score registering opening, and means under the control of the operator of the game for causing said last named means to pivot said actuator plates and said track means out of game piece supporting position.

7. A game apparatus of the character described comprising a cabinet having a transparent front wall panel, a central wall within said cabinet spaced from said panel, a game piece supporting means inclinedly arranged transversely with respect to and between said central wall and said panel, said game piece supporting means spaced from said central wall a suflicient distance to cooperate therewith to support a rolling game piece therebetween, game piece score registering openings provided by said cabinet at the base of said central wall and beneath said game piece supporting means, means for successively delivering a rolling game piece onto said game piece supporting means for gravitation theredown, means mounted on said cabinet between said panel and said central wall adjacent the vertical edges of said central wall for pivotally positioning said game piece supporting means in game piece supporting position, means operative upon said pivotally positioning means for yieldably maintaining said game piece supporting means in a game piece supporting position with respect to said central wall, and electromagnetic means operatively connected to said positioning means and cooperating therewith for pivoting said game piece supporting means away from said central wall out of game piece supporting position so as to cause a rolling game piece supported thereon to drop into a score registering opening, and means under the control of the operator of the game for causing energization of said electromagnetic means so as to pivot 'said positioning means and said game piece supporting means out of game piece supporting position.

8. A game apparatus of the character described comprising a cabinet having a transparent front wall panel, a central wall within said cabinet spaced from said panel, a track means inclinedly arranged transversely with respect to and between said central wall and said panel, said track means spaced from said central wall a suificient distance to cooperate therewith to support a rolling game piece therebetween, game piece score registering openings provided by said cabinet at the base of said central wall and beneath said track means, means for successively delivering a rolling game piece onto said track means for gravitation theredown, means mounted on said cabinet between said panel and said central wall adjacent the vertical edges of said central wall for pivotally positioning said track means in game piece supporting position, means operative upon said pivotally positioning means for yieldably maintaining said track means in a game piece supporting position with respect to said central wall, electromagnetic means operatively connected to said positioning means and cooperating therewith for pivoting said track means away from said central wall out of game piece supporting position so as to cause a rolling game piece supported thereon to drop into a score registering opening, and means under the control of the operator of the game for causing energization of said electromagnetic means so as to pivot said positioning means and said game piece supporting means out of game piece supporting position.

9. A game apparatus of the character described comprising a cabinet having a transparent front wall panel, a central wall within said cabinet spaced from said panel, a game piece supporting means inclinedly arranged transversely with respect to and between said central wall and said panel, said game piece supporting means spaced from said central wall a sufficient distance to cooperate therewith to support a rolling game piece therebetween, game piece score registering openings provided by said cabinet at the base of said central wall and beneath said game piece supporting means, means for successively delivering a rolling game piece onto said game piece supporting means for gravitation theredown, actuator plates mounted on said cabinet between said panel and said central wall adjacent the vertical edges of said central wall for pivotally positioning said game piece supporting means in game piece supporting position, means operative upon said actuator plates for yieldably maintaining said game piece supporting means in a game piece supporting position with respect to said central wall, electromagnetic means operatively connected to said actuator plates and cooperating therewith for pivoting said game piece supporting means away from said central wall out of game piece supporting position so as to cause a rolling game piece supported thereon to drop into a score registering opening, and means under the control of the operator of the game for causing energization of said electromagnetic means so as to pivot said actuator plates and said game piece supporting means out of game piece supprting position.

10. A game apparatus of the character described comprising a cabinet having a transparent front wall panel, a central wall within said cabinet spaced from said panel, a game piece supporting means inclinedly arranged transversely with respect to and between said central wall and said panel, said game piece supporting means spaced from said central wall a sufficient distance to cooperate therewith to support a rolling game piece therebetween, game piece score registering openings provided by said cabinet at the base of said central wall and beneath said game piece supporting means, means for successively delivering a rolling game piece onto said game piece supporting means for gravitation theredown, means mounted on said cabinet between said panel and said central wall adjacent the vertical edges of said central wall for pivotally positioning said game piece supporting means in game piece supporting position, spring means operative upon said pivotally positioning means for yieldably maintaining said game piece supporting means in a game piece supporting position With respect to said central wall, and means operatively connected to said pivotally positioning means and cooperating therewith for pivoting said game piece supporting means away from said central Wall out of game piece supporting position so as to cause a rolling game piece supported thereon to drop into a score registering opening, and means under the control of the operator of the game for causing said last named means to pivot said positioning means and said game piece supporting means out of game piece supporting position.

ll. A game apparatus of the character described comprising a cabinet having a transparent front wall panel, a central wall within said cabinet spaced from said panel, a track means inclinedly arranged transversely with respect to and between said central wall and said panel, said track means spaced from said central wall a sufficient distance to cooperate therewith to support a rolling game piece therebetween, game piece score registering openings provided by said cabinet at the base of said central wall and beneath said track means, means for successively delivering a rolling game piece onto said track means for gravitation theredown, means mounted on said cabinet between said panel and said central wall adjacent the vertical edges of said central wall for pivotally positioning said track means in game piece supporting position, spring means operative upon said pivotally positioning means for yieldably maintaining said track means in a game piece supporting position with respect to said central wall, and means operatively connected to said positioning means and cooperating therewith for pivoting said track means away from said central wall out of game piece supporting position so as to cause a rolling game piece supported thereon to drop into a score registering opening, and means under the control of the operator of the game for causing said last named means to pivot said positioning means and said track means out of game piece supporting position.

12. A game apparatus of the character described comprising a cabinet having a transparent front wall panel, a central wall within said cabinet spaced from said panel, a track means inclinedly arranged transversely with respect to and between said central wall and said panel, said track means spaced from said central wall a sufficient distance to cooperate therewith to support a rolling game piece therebetween, game piece score registering openings provided by said cabinet at the base of said central wall and beneath said track means, means for successively delivering a rolling game piece onto said track means for gravitation theredown, actuator plates mounted on said cabinet between said panel and said central wall adjacent the vertical edges of said central wall for pivotally positioning said track means in game piece supporting position, spring means operative upon said actuator plates for yieldably maintaining said track means in a game piece supporting position with respect to said central wall, and means operatively connected to said actuator plates and cooperating therewith for pivoting said track means away from said central wall out of game piece supporting position so as to cause a rolling game piece supported thereon to drop into a score registering opening, and means under the control of the operator of the game for causing said last named means to pivot said actuator plates and said track means out of game piece supporting position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,915,454 Sheffier June 27, 1933 2,093,818 Read Sept. 21, 1937 2,215,917 Preyer Sept. 24, 1940 2,234,856 Stanzel Mar. 11, 1941 2,297,993 Tratsch Oct. 6, 1942 2,670,207 Dale Feb. 23, 1954 2,711,900 Tressler June 28, 1955 

